Pollution affects how well we work

Huge implications for the global economy

The dangers of air pollution are well established. From respiratory problems to increased risk of strokes and heart attacks, the list is long and varied. But according to a team of researchers from Columbia, USC, and UC San Diego, pollution levels can affect how productive we are in the workplace too. They believe that the air pollution levels outside our offices and factories can affect our ability to think clearly. And it’s this that affects our performance at work.The team followed workers at a pear packing facility in California. The employees performance was easy to measure, the more boxes they packed the more productive they were. And as they were paid according to the number of boxes they packed, it was pretty safe to say they would be working as quickly as they possibly could. Remarkably the team found that the workers productivity levels dropped, even when there were small increases in pollution levels, i.e. levels that were still deemed safe, according to current US air safety standards.

It may be time for employers to look more closely at the working environment, to ensure air quality is as good as it can be. The results of this study must surely be a motivator, as it is clear productivity and therefore profits are directly linked to the quality of air we breathe.And that’s not all, the implications for the global economy are huge. If pollution levels here in the US are having a negative impact on productivity, imagine how productivity is affected in countries like India and China, where air quality is dangerously low.

For more on how pollution impacts our society, follow the link here